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BLAST Bounty Summer 2026 Finals: Teams, Schedule, Where to Watch, and More
Marking a return to Tier‑1 Counter‑Strike, the BLAST Bounty Summer 2026 Finals will kick off on July 30, with the Grand Final set for August 2. The tournament began with a 32‑team online qualifier on July 21, and after Spirit defeated 100 Thieves in the final qualifier match, eight teams have secured their spots for the LAN Finals.
With the IEM Cologne Major concluding in late June, CS2 orgs had roughly a month of inactivity to make roster adjustments, resulting in several notable player transfers and roster reshuffles. The off-season period after the Major also saw a shift in form for many teams.
While the closed qualifiers offered a glimpse of the new rosters in action, we’ll see their true form only on LAN, when the teams take the stage at the BLAST Arena Studios in Attard, Malta. A single‑elimination bracket will determine the tournament's outcome, with the quarterfinals and semifinals played as best‑of‑three and the Grand Final as a best‑of‑five showdown.
Closed Qualifiers Recap
The online qualifiers featured a single‑elimination bracket that produced several intriguing matchups. In the Round of 32, Liquid's revamped roster upset Vitality, 100 Thieves defeated the reigning Major champions Team Falcons, and The MongolZ secured their first win with two rookies in the lineup.
The next round was just as exciting. G2 Esports, despite their strong showing at the Cologne Major, fell to Liquid's new squad, while 3DMAX (ranked 31st in the global VRS standings) managed to defeat FUT to earn a playoff spot.
The final qualifier match carried the most intensity, as 100 Thieves (#40) pushed the current world #1 Team Spirit to the limit, winning the second map 13‑4. However, Spirit responded in dominant fashion, closing out the decider with a commanding 13‑0 victory to end 100 Thieves' playoff hopes. With that, eight competent teams have qualified for the playoff stage of the tournament.
Teams
|
Team |
Players |
Coach |
|
torzsi, xertioN, Spinx, xelex, PR |
sycrone | |
|
Staehr, jabbi, HooXi, phzy, ryu |
NEO | |
|
Lucky, Maka, Graviti, misutaaa, Kursy |
wasiNk | |
|
NAF, EliGE, malbsMd, Jorko, JT |
flashie | |
|
biguzera, snow, piriajr, v$m, saffee |
rikz | |
|
frozen, jcobbb, Twistzz, JBOEN, Neityu |
enkay J | |
|
bLitz, Techno4K, 910, Tikuak, DarkMeister |
maaRaa (Not attending) | |
|
magixx, zont1x, donk, sh1ro, tN1R |
hally |
Schedule
Quarterfinals
|
Date |
Timings |
Match |
Winner |
|
Thursday, July 30 |
6 am PDT/ 3 pm CEST |
Spirit (2-0) | |
|
9 am PDT/ 6 pm CEST |
MOUZ (2-1) | ||
|
Friday, July 31 |
5:30 am PDT/ 2:30 pm CEST |
FaZe (2-1) | |
|
8:30 am PDT/ 5:30 pm CEST |
Astralis (2-1) |
Semifinals
|
Date |
Timings |
Match |
|
Saturday, August 1 |
3:30 am PDT/ 12:30 pm CEST | - |
|
6:30 am PDT/ 3:30 pm CEST | - |
Grand Final
|
Date |
Timings |
Match |
|
Sunday, August 2 |
3:30 am PDT/ 12:30 pm CEST | - |
Key Matchups
Team Liquid vs Team Spirit: The opening playoff match is shaping up to be an exciting one. A week ago, this might have been a routine matchup for donk and co., with Spirit expected to breeze past Team Liquid. However, Liquid's recent roster shuffle appears to have injected fresh momentum into the squad.
Despite an early exit from the Cologne Major last month, Liquid has bounced back after replacing their AWPer and introducing fresh strategies through their new IGL. In the BLAST Bounty qualifiers, the revamped lineup upset CS giants Vitality in their first match, followed by G2 in the second.
Liquid's current form could certainly disrupt Spirit's ambitions, but after letting the Cologne Major slip away in the semifinals, Team Spirit seems determined to secure silverware. Given both teams' form, the winner of this matchup has the potential to go all the way and take the tournament, making this a must‑watch fixture.
FaZe Clan vs The MongolZ: The first match of Day 2 promises excitement, as FaZe Clan takes on the new‑look MongolZ roster. Both teams have been going through a rough patch: FaZe missed out on the Cologne Major entirely, while The MongolZ crashed out early in Stage 3.
FaZe has also been dealing with roster instability, with one of their players being a loanee and another a stand‑in. The MongolZ, meanwhile, have a fairly stable lineup, though two of their players are rookies yet to prove themselves on the big stage. To make matters worse, their coach will not be attending the tournament.
The upcoming quarterfinal matchup presents a solid opportunity for both teams to regain their footing. FaZe had a strong showing at the XSE Pro League earlier this month, while The MongolZ have looked promising after winning their two matches with the current roster. As a result, we can expect an entertaining contest between the two sides.
Where to Watch BLAST Bounty Summer 2026 Finals
Viewers worldwide can tune into the BLAST Bounty Summer Finals on BLAST’s official channels across multiple streaming platforms, in various languages. There will also be co-streams from several top content creators.
The tournament will kick off with the Liquid vs Spirit match on Thursday, July 30, at 6 am PDT/ 3 pm CEST. Below are the official stream links:
- English: Twitch, YouTube, and Kick
- Portuguese (Brazil): Twitch, YouTube, and Kick
- Russian: Twitch
- Vietnamese: Twitch
You can also follow the BLAST Bounty Summer 2026 matches live on Strafe.
Don't forget to follow Strafe Esports for the latest news about your favorite esports and to check out our X account for the most recent content and coverage. Also, stay tuned to the Strafe YouTube channel for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and much more.
Featured Image Credit: BLAST Premier
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